The Buddy Ruski Show

On this special episode of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin talks with Mary Hondermann of El Futuro.

El Futuro provides comprehensive mental health services in a bilingual environment to thousands of individuals and families across North Carolina. During the conversation, Mary and Justin talk about the organization's mission, how they've adjusted their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some of Mary's favorite client stories.

On Thursday, December 15, in collaboration with Rubies at Five Points, the Buddy Ruski team is hosting a dance party fundraiser to bring awareness and raise funds for El Futuro. This is the second time Buddy Ruski and Rubies have teamed up to raise money for local community organizations. Find out more about the event here.

As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 28 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Victoria Bouloubasis.

Victoria is a journalist and multimedia producer based in Durham, North Carolina. She shares what it's like growing up as the child of immigrants, moving from North Jersey to Clemmons, North Carolina at age 7, and how being a "restaurant kid" shaped her relationship with food and food culture. (3:04)

Victoria would go on to study Journalism and Spanish at UNC-Chapel Hill with ambitions to publish magazine features. She recalls learning the strict publishing standards that she's still a stickler for to this day, and having to pass "the test" that terrified many aspiring journalists. (19:51)

After college, she became a contributing writer, and eventually the Food Editor, at INDY WEEK, a Triangle-based alt-weekly newspaper. Victoria credits her editors with giving her the freedom to explore different aspects of the food industry, including working conditions for farmers and factory employees, and the history behind some of our favorite dishes. (46:01)

When she's not on the search for her next feature, Victoria performs with the DJ collective Mamis and the Papis. (1:13:42) Shout out Bad Bunny!

Victoria publishes stories using a variety of media disciplines including podcasts and documentary film. "Her work aims to dispel myths about the Global South—its people and places—against the backdrop of complex social, political and personal histories." You can find links to her work on her website.

As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

Jed Byrne grew up in Baltimore County, Maryland, not the city of Baltimore, which is an important distinction to make, according to Byrne. After reading The Color of Law, which makes specific reference to the history of Baltimore, and Clemson University where he went to college, Byrne says he better understood how place, and the ways they are built, determine how communities thrive or suffer. (5:13)

Byrne graduated from Clemson with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2007, one year before the housing crisis. 5 years later, he would leave his career as an engineer to pursue his MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill in Real Estate Finance and Development. (19:32) After traveling around different communities (The Bay Area, Houston, Atlanta), Byrne began to realize that development is as much about architecture as it is psychology, and that many of us are more YIMBY elsewhere but NIMBY at home. (22:12)

To close out our conversation, Byrne and I walk through the typical development process and where community can, and should, get more involved. (48:04)

You can learn more about Jed's work at oakcityCRE.com.

As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 26 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Mark Overbay.

Mark's origins begin in Kingsport, Tennessee where his interest in food and nutrition started when his father was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes. He became the food guru of his family, learning about healthy eating habits and nagging his parents to try new ways of cooking to support his father's health. (2:03) In turn, Mark learned about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship through his parents -- his parents owned a jewelry store. (14:14)

Mark attended Davidson College where he double majored in English Literature and Philosophy with a concentration in Film Studies. (19:19) His interest in storytelling ultimately lead to a career in journalism after graduated. It was during his time at Yes! Magazine in Seattle that Mark met a mentor who persuaded him to join the Peace Corp. (31:13)

While volunteering in Zimbabwe, Mark desperately missed one of his favorite foods: peanut butter. After watching local farmers using peanuts for other types of foods, he took a shot at making his own homemade peanut butter. "Not to toot my own horn, but it was so delicious." (35:17)

Eventually, Mark took a job working for Counter Culture coffee and moved to Durham. It was in his backyard in 2010 where Mark's craving for freshly-made peanut butter resurfaced. After remembering the peanut butter he made in Zimbabwe, Mark decided to take the leap and co-founded Big Spoon Roasters with his now-wife Megan. Big Spoon was a nickname Mark's father held because of the way he ate big spoonfuls of peanut butter right out of the jar (39:59)

As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 25 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Anna Gibala. 

Anna spent her childhood in Durham after being adopted from South Korea at 3 months old. Her interest in the culinary arts started early in life, watching cooking shows with her father and using food as a centerpiece for good times with her friends. (4:52)

After graduation, Anna enrolled in culinary school at Johnson & Wales before venturing out to the west coast to further explore a career in food and level up her skills at a number of restaurants. (23:33) Clove & Hoof, a whole-animal butcher shop and restaurant in Oakland, left a lasting impression on Anna. It was here that visions for her own business began to materialize.

Eventually, Anna moved back to her hometown to start Moonbelly Meat Company, a woman-owned sausage and charcuterie business serving locally sourced, humanely raised pork products. (38:47) We talked about the distinct branding for Moonbelly, why ethical, local sourcing is so important to the company's values, and the joy Anna gets from experimenting with different recipes, even for things as simple as hot dogs.

As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 24 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Erik Landfried.

Erik is a transportation expert and urban planner from the mean streets of Beantown Boston, Massachusetts. He developed an affinity for maps and geography at a young age, always paying close attention to his surroundings as he traveled around his hometown by foot, bus, or subway. (1:39)

Eventually, that passion led Erik to a decade-long position at GoTriangle after receiving his Master’s degree in urban planning from UNC-Chapel Hill. (21:55)

No conversation about transportation in the Triangle region is complete without mentioning our failed light rail project. If you’re looking for brief, obligatory light rail comment, here it is. (45:06)

Erik and I bring a certain amount of bias to this conversation, as we both serve on the board of directors at Bike Durham, a non-profit focused on transforming our transit system to make it safer and more equitable. We close out our conversation with Erik talking about his specific work on the Transit Equity Campaign, which you can learn more about at bikedurham.org/transit. (57:00)
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As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 23 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Jay Kutchma.

Jay is a musician hailing from Johnstown, Pennsylvania where his knack for music began with the smooth sounds of the accordion. (4:36) After high school, Jay took a hiatus from music. He earned a degree in biomedical engineering and eventually became a science teacher in the only other place that would hire him besides his hometown. That’s right: Durham Public Schools. (16:30)

After he left teaching, Jay reconnected with his love for music following a brief run at being a screenwriter. (23:58) We covered his influences (33:01) and what it was like building a music scene in 2010 Durham (45:53) This is where our stories crossover. Jay and my fabled roommate Tom Rau, a recurring character on this show, played in a band together in the early 2010s. I had the pleasure of seeing Jay perform on multiple occasions. We spent nights together talking about music, life, and of course, Durham.

Since 2016, Jay has lived in Idaho where he recently ran for political office. He said he was apathetic towards politics for most of his life, but the results of the 2016 election prompted him to become more involved. (1:16:58)

Check out Jay’s music on Bandcamp: https://jkutchma.bandcamp.com

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As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

In collaboration with Let’s Talk Durham, I had the pleasure of interviewing Raleigh mayoral candidate Dr. Terrance Ruth for a special episode of The Buddy Ruski Show.

Over the last couple of years, Raleigh city government has been in a bit of turmoil, from the election schedule being changed, to calls for a special election to unseat the current mayor prior to the end of her term. Dr. Ruth and I decided to keep things focused on his particular candidacy and what motivates him as a leader and nominee. If you are interested in following the full story, both the News & Observer and Indy Week have done great reporting on the topic locally.

Thanks again to Kat at Let’s Talk Durham for collaborating with me on this episode.
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As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 22 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Lord Fess.

Fess is a rapper and entrepreneur hailing from Baltimore, Maryland but has called Durham home for most of his life. He is one of the first people I met on the scene way back in the early aughts when he was performing as part of the rap duo Toon & The Real Laww under the alias Professor Toon. Good times… good times.

We talked about overcoming childhood traumas and how those early experiences shaped the rest of his life and his music. As a student at Durham School of the Arts, Fess says being a “theatre kid” is where he developed his love for the stage. It wasn’t until years later that his love and knack for rapping would catch up.

Recently, Fess has pivoted into other creative endeavors including talent management and podcasting while still finding time to continue honing his craft as a musician.
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As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski

On episode 21 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Josh Harmon.

Josh is a comedian and writer based in New York City. He and I became fast friends during my first stint as a teacher with Putney Student Travel, an experiential learning program based in Vermont.

We talk about his picturesque upbringing in New Jersey, playing music at an early age with his older brother Michael, and why every kid in his school was fighting to get into Yale.

From there, we get into his time as a student at Amherst College, teaching with Putney, and the power that “Putney Magic” has on its students as well as its leaders.

Finally, we cover what it takes to be a content creator, and how the addicting pursuit of social media success ultimately leaves you empty. Over the pandemic, Josh has become somewhat of an Internet sensation with his “Rhythms of Comedy” series, racking up millions of views and even a spot on The Tonight Show. But internet fame isn’t all it’s cut out to be. What exactly IS internet fame cut out to be?

Josh on TikTok: @joshplaysdrums
Josh on IG: @josh_harmon_
Josh on YouTube: Josh Harmon
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As always, thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, be sure to share with your friends.

You can always find new episodes of this podcast and so much more at BuddyRuski.com. Make it a part of your regular content digest.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @buddyruski